Philippine Communication Centrum Foundation

The President and one of the founding members of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC), Dr. Florangel Rosario Braid recently held a Professorial Lecture Series at the GMA 7 Network Building last December 7, 2004. Her lecture was entitled “The Changing Landscape of Journalism and Communication.” She presented, among others, the great need for bridging the gap in communications between the urban and rural landscape, the advantages of cooperation through communication and the need to utilize the vast resource of knowledge available through the use of modern technology.

As many know, communication science has evolved as an amalgam of the social sciences – sociology, psychology, anthropology, political science, economics, as well as the humanities and information sciences. Drawing from the rich knowledge generated by these sciences, communication has become an important tool for policy and advocacy, a much needed intervention in our country today.

My purpose for sharing some highlights in history and theory is to demonstrate how patterns in the growth of the sector and knowledge from theory had guided the design of media and communication strategies. It is also to provide support to the importance of theories and frameworks as guide for action.

The Six Revolutions and Historical Trends: Irving Fang, communication historian suggests these six categories: First Revolution – Writing; 2nd Revolution – Printing; 3rd Revolution- Mass Media; 4th Revolution- Entertainment; 5th Revolution – The Toolshed Home; 6th Revolution – The Highway.

From these perspectives, I have drawn some trends which include:

The Theory Perspective – From the trends, these theories have evolved - Rhetoric, Propaganda, Advertising, Public Opinion; “Hypodermic needle effect”, Four Theories of the Press; Social-psychological models (selective retention, cognitive dissonance, opinion leadership, cultivation, gratification, etc.), Functional theories, Semantics and linguistic theories, Diffusion, Massification, Hegemony and transnationalization, Cybernetics, Organizational Communication, Human dialogue, Development communication, Participatory Communication, Pluralism, Globalization of communication, Communitarianism, Demassification, Civic journalism, Critical theories, Knowledge Management, Constructivism.

Application in Policy and Program Planning - The application of early theories of rhetoric and propaganda started with Aristotle with the emphasis on form, logic, and persuasion. Napoleon, Hitler and his propagandist Goebbels, Marcos, and recently, Saddam Hussein’s Minister of Information, used media and information effectively to build their power until their downfall. Rizal, Lopez Jaena, Marcelo del Pilar, leaders of the Philippine propaganda movement against Spain, used the media - La Solidaridad, Kalayaan in 1896, to evoke nationalism and action leading to the revolution. The practice of “embedded” journalism is similar the Marcos administration’s “marriage” with media and the economy. The globalization of information and the growth of an informed citizenry will, to a large extent, determine the landscape of world governance – the viability of unilateralism vs, UN multilateralism, the World Trade Organization, Asean integration and other structures of global cooperation. There are indicators to show that open and free flow of information, use of effective lobby and advocacy and other communication tools are altering power structures in our world today.

During the past five decades, communication focused on application of the behavioral theories in design of advertising and political campaigns, and on the problems of society. Development sectors such as agriculture, education and health benefited from theories of diffusion and change where knowledge about factors affecting adoption enabled the design of appropriate change management strategies. The term development communication was enriched by the concepts of participation, interaction, dialogue and Freire’s conscientization. Theories of persuasion guided the practice of public relations (now called corporate communication), social or integrated marketing and public advocacy. Knowledge management, now, recognized as essential in selecting, processing and utilizing information, developed from theories of cybernetics, decision and information, critical theory and constructivism, and the applied sciences of organizational development, and information storage and retrieval. Decision-makers are becoming more aware that sharing of information does not decrease power; in fact, equitable distribution of the information pie benefits everyone.

Globalization of Information – The ICTs as we now recognize, are revolutionizing our lifestyles and workstyles and creating new structures in global and national governance. We now have a borderless world where Internet, cable TV and convergence of other new technologies are changing the way we learn, the way we do business, the way we gather, process, and disseminate information. On the positive side, the ICTs have provided opportunities for unlimited access to new knowledge, democratic participation, the rise of prosumerism (where the consumer is also the producer of information), and growth of communities of interest through interactive mechanisms provided by Internet. The recent establishment of e-community centers for local governance now allows greater transparency and accountability, decentralization, and devolution of governance. On the negative side, the ICTs have increased the gap between the rich and the poor, the urban and the rural. As statistics show, the “digital divide” had widened along with economic and linguistic divide. Because ICTs require a large capital investment, the trend has been towards mergers, conglomeration, and in developing countries, the entry of foreign investors. Plans for charter change which include opening the media and ICTs to foreign ownership, although expected to help alleviate the fiscal crisis, has its downside. Some believe that the drive for profit would eventually lead to further deterioration of media content. Too, the entry of external media conglomerates which may have little respect for the country’s regulatory principles could provide irritants to the host government.

Patterns in the Evolution of Communication

The pattern of historical growth had shown a cyclical trend. An example is “demassification”, which describes the communication exchange in the early days when the tambuli supported interpersonal and indigenous communication media in community interaction. With the invention of the printing machine, radio and television, the communication system gradually became “massified” and the indicator of effectiveness was on reach of these channels. During the 70’s, the trend towards bottom-up communication and people’s participation encouraged the growth of small, community media. The latter was a response to people’s need to have ownership and participation in the generation of information. Internet satisfied both the need to reach larger audiences and at the same time allow participation of audience or users. In other words, it combined the ability to reach a mass audience and at the same time cater to small, special-interest groups. The opportunity for individual users to construct their own websites and content led to the demassification of communication. McLuhan’s “medium is the message” rhetoric is still relevant today as we witness radical changes brought about by the media of Internet (through email, chat rooms) as well as the cellphone through texting which had changed our learning and entertainment patterns. In our knowledge society, however, there is demand for content that would spur innovation and creativity in the design of economic, political and learning structures. This can only be satisfied through a focus on crafting IEC messages.

In the earlier days, the demographic profile was enough basis for planning advertising and promotional campaigns. Lately however, greater emphasis is being given to psychographics which provide profile of individual’s psychological needs and interests. The growth of cable TV and Internet, which cater to individual audiences has propelled the shift towards media surveys focusing on special interest groups rather than mere aggregate audience analysis. The new technologies have likewise lessened the power of propaganda through the democratization of information and knowledge.

My purpose in providing a historical perspective is to demonstrate the centrality of the communication sciences in managing change. Communicators are often criticized for being ubiquitous – for being present in almost in every event and process - for claiming that communication is found in the planning and implementation of programs and projects, and in significant aspects of decision-making. Our response is that it is because communication is able to integrate knowledge generated by the other disciplines, and makes it useful through popularization and dissemination through wide-reaching channels.

The Philippine Development Environment

To respond to the relevant needs in our society today requires careful scanning of the environment to identify opportunities for IEC interventions. Let me point out some of the more critical ones which include:

Promoting Effective Governance – The continuing inability of leadership to provide structures for lessening the yawning gap between the rich and the poor; to combat continuing corruption and violence and the low credibility of national and local leaders has led to growing polarization, passivity, alienation, and loss of self-confidence. The communication theory of exchange and “win-win” spawned from game and decision theories responds to the need for continuing interaction, equitable sharing of power, gains, risks and responsibilities which if practiced, could reduce tensions and feeling of exclusion. The tools of communication – print, radio, TV and now Internet, have the capacity to promote greater transparency and accountability, thus minimizing corruption. The theory of governance (information as nerve of government) states that there must be continuing flow of information - horizontally, vertically, in order to maintain stability in the system.

Promoting Cultural Diversity - Continuing exchange among various cultural and social groups, mediated by credible leaders help establish consensus and discovery of commonalities and pave the road to peace. . A more balanced media content with focus on promoting cultural and multilingual diversity, gender and ethnic consciousness supported by policies and program guidelines demands alternative media systems if the existing commercial structure is unable to satisfy these requirements. Internet and the new technologies of digitization can promote cultural diversity by encouraging use of local languages, cultural exchange, and preserving the memory of our cultural heritage. Virtual museums provide channels for preservation, conservation, and exchange not only in the field of culture but also in all areas of knowledge.

Bridging the Social-Economic Divide - Those of us involved in development research and action programs - population management, resource management, change management, are aware of the important role of information, education and communication (IEC) in providing knowledge needed to achieve balanced growth, arrest deterioration of resources, promote alternative livelihood, and combat terrorism and barriers to stability. The communication media provide mechanisms that enable people to share information, validate experiences, lobby for resources and transfer skills and knowledge to others. Success stories provide models for other communities, and above all, inspire and galvanize subsequent initiatives.

Given the state of our nation which, according to some analysts, requires no less than a revolution, what can journalists, media managers and communication scientists do to turn the tide? The times require that our special knowledge in this field be shifted towards advocacy and action. The times require going beyond reflection and analysis or neutral reporting. The criteria we once employed in evaluating effectiveness – creating awareness and understanding, critical thinking, and skills in selecting, processing and reporting events truthfully, accurately, and comprehensively, are important, but not adequate for our times. Our society is at a crossroads, a critical stage in our political history needing revolutionary interventions. As has been said, revolutions can be peaceful. But peaceful revolutions require a well-crafted communication strategy. This requires an “activist” outlook, new mindsets and resoluteness and collective action. The gaps have widened and the tensions which have escalated require creative mediation.

On the other hand, we have communication resources that can address gaps and imbalances. The 2004 Media Factbook provides some data on the infrastructure:

A UNESCO report cites that less than 10% in the developing world has access to Internet. In the Philippines, only 2.56 per 100 persons have access. In comparison, Korea has 52.11 followed by the U.S. which has 50.15. Seventy-two percent of Internet users live in high income countries which make up only 14% of world’s population, thus showing the disparity between the developed and the developing countries. In another survey of readership and viewership in Hongkong, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the Philippines, the finding was that audiences in Taiwan and the Philippines spent the least time reading print publications (1.2 hours daily). Philippine TV consumption or 2.8 hours daily however was slightly higher than the rest. (Woodier in Johannen et al, 2003). Texting today has become a favorite among the new media. An estimate of 30 million Filipinos own cellphones. This makes it a powerful tool for change.

The above, though not comprehensive, provides some basis for marketing and policy direction on redressing imbalances. The general finding is that we have a highly commercialized system; with TV having the widest penetration. We have a much higher TV consumption rate compared with print which requires a certain level of literacy. Considering that most broadcast stations are commercial, TV content would be entertainment-oriented. Too, even though the print and broadcast infrastructure in the provinces appear to be adequate, they do not have the benefit of the large advertising pie that the national media have. What this means is that except for the larger newspapers and community radio, these enterprises may not have the capability of providing adequate coverage to local news and public affairs. Clearly, the infrastructure picture indicates that there is need for alternatives – a public broadcasting system and community newspapers that cater to authentic community needs. A research challenge is to take other studies (content categories and analysis of messages and programming, audience profile, literacy, etc.) which can provide answers to questions like “What is the correlation between communication media and social ills like crime, urban migration, drug abuse, corruption? How effective are initiatives in utilizing media and Internet for learning, governance, and the delivery of services? Are the lessons we learned from experiences of countries with open, transparent, free and responsible media being applied? Is past finding about the “revolution of rising expectations which had led to rising frustrations” still relevant today? How can we mitigate negative effects of Internet on learning or on the other hand, enhance its positive effect? What have we learned from the failure of many large-scale propaganda campaigns? Or from the success of past political campaigns? Is there need for alternative media systems, and if so, how can they operate within the commercial system? What policies are needed to strengthen community media? Do our cost-effectiveness studies integrate social and psychological costs? Some of these questions have been answered but we need to analyze the findings so that they can help shape future policy and decisions on investments. Researchers are also aware of the trend towards constructivist research – the trend towards enabling respondents to construct their own realities rather than merely respond to categories developed in traditional data collection.

Career Paths in Journalism and Communication

In terms of career paths, I see three promising areas in addition to current ones:

Civic Journalism – The development trends indicate that most of the significant challenges in journalism are in the local community – poverty and sustainable development projects, and local governance. The coverage of these issues and processes – growing people participation, devolution of power, and centrality of human rights require committed and competent civic journalists. Globalization implies that journalists must be able to operate in the global arena and therefore equipped with “cutting edge” knowledge in all the sciences, arts, culture and technology. Internet and other knowledge networks are available and help stimulate desire to further investigate, validate, and triangulate information. The community today look up to the media for much of the knowledge needed for survival. Media managers must be sensitive to this need by providing a more balanced fare. This means providing more resources for information, public affairs and educational programs to complement the dominant program fare. Print journalists will have to satisfy the growing need of a knowledge society by veering away from too much personality-oriented news and trivia towards investigative and process reporting. The recent disaster brought about by killer typhoons provided opportunity to delve into the roots of the crises and advocate for alternative options so that this terrible tragedy will not happen again. Anticipatory communication means “sensing” potential danger before it happens. The recent tragedy also brought out the best among media practitioners, specifically, the reporters in the field. We witnessed civic journalism at its best as we saw broadcast and print journalists braving the strong rains, landslides, muddy terrain as they linked disaster victims to government service centers and at the same time satisfied public’s need for useful and timely information.

Journalists today now recognize that they operate in a communication environment characterized by convergence of media, reality TV, and rapidly changing information technologies. These complexities among others, require that they should have a tolerance for ambiguity, risk, and uncertainty. As we know, the Philippines has become like Colombia, a killing fields. Some 61 journalists had been killed with impunity since 1986, 11 of whom were gunned down in 2004.

Multimedia Management for E-Learning – This is a promising career path as there is demand for multimedia specialists who can blend the various media technologies that enhance learning. These skills needed coordinate specialists from graphics, animation, music, and content will also be needed in the future electronic book publishing industry. There is the demand for TV and radio programs that blend entertainment with education or infotainment. What this implies for communication schools is to complement what computer and technical schools are already giving which is training in the hardware and can then focus on the software aspect of ICT – training of teachers who would design courses for alternative delivery systems. The theory of constructivism provides guidance in the design of innovative learning systems. Communicators must demonstrate to policy makers that the design of information technology software (producers of content, teacher-designers of courses) must precede the installation of technology hardware.

Communication Consultancy - During the past years, development funding agencies had begun to recognize that communication – specifically its functions in development support communication, advocacy, and knowledge management are critical in the planning, implementation and sustainability of development projects. The latter includes agriculture, environment, energy, agrarian reform, judiciary reforms, health and population, among others. We now confront a future where nation states will be faced with conflict over access to scarce water, land, and energy resources. Communication consultancy is now becoming an important component in externally-funded development projects. The preparation for consultancy requires exposure and understanding of the dynamics of development especially at the grassroots level, skills in the design and implementation of multimedia materials, advocacy campaigns and networking, capacity building, ability to translate research, and document lessons into systems that can be replicated in other settings, sensitivity to national and global development priorities, and effective coordination with national and local government, industry, and other sectors.

Having outlined opportunities for communication to actively mediate many critical aspects of national life, let me challenge you to reflect on a serious gap in the utilization of this most important resource. I am referring to the seeming inability of government, industry, and perhaps even civil society in leading the way towards a more responsible planning and use of communication as the resource in addressing the most critical problems today. And let me end with what I consider the most urgent challenge - that of closing the many divides, the many gaps in our society today. It is that of harnessing the resources of communication in narrowing these gaps. UNESCO recommends the intervention called “Dialogue among Civilizations”. Other countries have taken note of this by calling for spiritual revival and mechanisms by which all religions and faiths can be brought into a relationship of trust and harmony. Communication comes from the Latin word, “commun”, to come together, as in dialogue. The use of dialogue to bridge the cultural, religious and ethnic divide can bring stability in our society which is continually torn by terrorism and ethnic strife brought about by distrust, suspicion, intolerance, and exclusion.

Let me cite as example the concern on the rule of law through equitable distribution of property rights or asset management. Like many cities of the world, Manila, Cebu and Davao are characterized as having two categories of enclaves – those of the inner circle- the landed and the privileged, and those outside who are excluded from the benefits of the legal system. From advice given by the Peruvian consultant, Hernando de Soto, an anti-poverty expert, President Arroyo is pushing for the approval of the Farm Collateral bill which would provide collateral for credit that would benefit agrarian reform beneficiaries. She further hopes to bring those who work in the underground economy within the ambit of the legal system by providing them with capital. How can communication help enable beneficiaries to respond positively to such innovation? Can communication bridge the gap between those who have and those excluded from the legal system?

Today, both the development and communication paradigms have changed. The “trickle down” theory is now a thing of the past. People want to exercise their rights – to participate either in constructing their messages and selecting their channels in the same manner they want to participate in planning and implementing development strategies. Cooperative and partnership relationships, interdependence – these are the desired goals and communication is a critical resource for fueling the empowerment needed to sustain these relationships. Civic journalism is an answer to the “rights-based” approach in development. This means that journalists must immerse themselves in the community, must be constantly vigilant, and provide more space and time for what is called “feel good” stories as well as stories that can involve them, evoke righteous indignation when needed and share their passion to change. These are the ingredients of civic development stories. This requires skills such as the ability to listen, to investigate, to validate through “triangulation”, clarify, interpret, and report change initiatives in the community so that partnership and equitable sharing and the rule of law becomes the norm for social behavior.

In this lecture, I have done more than what a lecture normally covers, which is to present the current state and new knowledge generated in the discipline. It is perhaps because over these past few decades, like some of you, I have moved from being an observer and of events towards becoming an advocate.